This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and more particularly relates to systems for dispensing bottled liquids, particularly water, from a large inverted bottle known as a carboy. A wide variety of such dispensing systems are known in the prior art in which water from the inverted bottle flows into a reservoir in a dispenser housing and rises in the reservoir to a level just covering the mouth of the bottle. According to well known principles of fluid mechanics, air pressure then prevents the remaining contents of the inverted bottle from flowing into and overflowing the reservoir. When water is dispensed by user manipulation of a spigot or tap on the dispenser housing, the fluid level in the reservoir is automatically replenished by water from the inverted bottle. In order to allow water flow out of the open mouth of the inverted bottle, air must be allowed to bubble up into the bottle. In order to maintain hygienic conditions, it is desirable that the vent air be filtered to preclude introduction of contaminants into the bottle and reservoir.
A wide variety of dispensing systems for dispensing water from inverted bottles or carboys are known in the prior art. Such conventional dispensing systems fall into two main categories or types. The first category is a water cooler type in which a dispenser housing or base includes a refrigeration system for cooling water in a dispenser reservoir. Such water cooler systems may also include a heating system for optionally heating the water for use in making hot beverages such as coffee, tea, etc. The second category of such bottled water dispensers provide a relatively simple ceramic crock or other vessel having an open upper neck provided with a support for receiving an inverted bottle therein. Uncooled water from the crock is then dispensed on demand through a tap or spigot. The fluid level in the crock is maintained at the level of the mouth of the inverted bottle. Both the water cooler-type and crock-type dispensers must include a system for venting ambient air into the inverted bottle to allow the water to flow therefrom. A wide variety of different venting and filtration systems have been proposed in the prior art for allowing the passage of filtered ambient air into the dispenser reservoir and inverted bottle.
An additional problem associated with such inverted bottle water dispensers is the spillage of water from the bottle during installation and removal from the dispenser. In order to overcome this problem, the prior art has proposed the provision of a valve mechanism in the mouth of the water bottle which is opened automatically upon installation of the bottle in the dispenser. U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,635, which issued to J. Ulm on Feb. 12, 1991, discloses a dispensing system for water cooler bottles for use with water cooler-type dispensers, rather than crock-type dispensers. The patent to Ulm discloses a dispensing system in which a slide valve in the bottle mouth is automatically opened by engagement with a centrally disposed vertically extending valve actuating rod positioned in a cylindrical stem portion of a funnel-shaped bottleneck receiving socket. The valve actuating rod and slide valve includes frictional engaging portions such that the rod pushes the slide valve open and subsequently pulls the slide valve closed. The bottleneck receiving socket also includes a second valve automatically opened upon insertion of the inverted bottle for allowing flow to the water cooler reservoir. When the bottle is removed from the supporting socket, both the valve in the bottle mouth and the water cooler reservoir inlet valve automatically close. The system disclosed by the patent to Ulm also includes an air vent provided with a filter for allowing filtered ambient air into the water cooler reservoir and subsequently into the inverted bottle for venting purposes. The air vent includes a ball check valve for preventing reservoir overflow through the air vent in the event that the inverted water bottle contains a pinhole leak or hairline crack.
The dispensing system described by the patent to Ulm is relatively complex and requires close tolerances in the valve system to ensure a proper fit between the valve actuating rod and the bottle mouth slide valve. Misalignment between the actuating rod and the slide valve can cause failure of the valve to open when the bottle is inverted into the reservoir and can also result in failure of the slide valve to close when the bottle is removed, thus giving rise to potential leakage and bottle contamination problems. Additionally, the Ulm dispensing system is not useable with crock-type dispensers, but only with the more expensive water cooler-type dispensers.